Preview — To Tempt a Scotsman
by Victoria Dahl

After finding herself at the center of a very public scandal that left one man dead and another on the run, Lady Alexandra Huntington has exiled herself to her brother's estate and is content to manage his affairs. But the arrival of darkly handsome Collin Blackburn awakens her curiosity and her desire--and the advantage of being a fallen woman is that she can be ruined onAfter finding herself at the center of a very public scandal that left one man dead and another on the run, Lady Alexandra Huntington has exiled herself to her brother's estate and is content to manage his affairs. But the arrival of darkly handsome Collin Blackburn awakens her curiosity and her desire--and the advantage of being a fallen woman is that she can be ruined only once. . .

After a promise sworn to his father, Collin Blackburn is compelled to seek the aid of the woman who brought about his brother's death in a senseless duel. Yet Lady Alexandra is not the shameless femme fatale he expected. In fact, Collin suspects she is guilty of nothing more than a hunger to experience passion, and the brawny Scot is certainly equippd to oblige. But the quick-witted, keenly sensual Alexandra has a few lessons of her own to impart--on life, love, and the delicious joys of succumbing to temptation. . ....more

So this book started out quite well, but then the Hero went crazy and I wasn't buyin' what the author was sellin' after that point.

Let me explain. **Here there be spoilers for anyone who hasn't read the book**

The premise of the story is that the heroine was caught with a man who had his hand up her skirts. The friend who caught them challenged the man to a duel and was killed. There was a huge scandal, of course, and Alexandra was ruined. She meets the Hero, the dead man's brother, when he comesSo this book started out quite well, but then the Hero went crazy and I wasn't buyin' what the author was sellin' after that point.

Let me explain. **Here there be spoilers for anyone who hasn't read the book**

The premise of the story is that the heroine was caught with a man who had his hand up her skirts. The friend who caught them challenged the man to a duel and was killed. There was a huge scandal, of course, and Alexandra was ruined. She meets the Hero, the dead man's brother, when he comes to her home to tell her that she was merely a pawn in the scandal; that she had been used to force a duel. As if that weren't enough, Collin Blackburn tells Alexandra that his brother had been in love with her and preparing to offer for her before the scandal.

So that's how they meet. Sparks fly, he tries to do the honourable thing, she figures if she's labelled a whore she might as well act like one, they get together and shortly after that the Hero goes bonkers. That's the only explanation I have for his behaviour.

Now, I love an alpha hero as much (if not more) than the next girl. Strict, rigid, possessive, stubborn, softening only when he is with me the heroine....yum. Those alphas you can work with. They are usually redeemed by the heroine, and can see their boorish behaviour for what it is (a plot device, mostly).

But a Hero who is irrationally jealous, accusing his wife of lifting her skirts for many before him (though she was a virgin when he took her), believing the worst of anything she says to any male in the vicinity and becoming violent with his best friend when he thinks (wrongly, of course) that his wife is in his bed? Those guys never change. His problem is his own, not hers, and she will never be able to fix it for him. It's those guys that we see on the news nowadays. Because they end up killing someone.

And that ain't romantic to me, folks.

Now, I would normally suspect that this is a knee-jerk reaction on my part to an overly jealous alpha, except that I've never read a book where it seemed to come right out of left field like it did for me with this one. Nothing Collin said or did in the first half of the book prepared me for how he was going to act in the second.

Anyhow, as a result, I didn't really believe the HEA. Ms. Dahl sets it up so that the Hero sees the error of his ways after a couple of lectures from the heroine and after she kills the bad guy to save him, but I just wasn't so sure.

So I'm on to the next in the series. I'm going to chalk this one up to the author hitting a button I didn't know I had about insecure, super jealous men.

Who doesn't love a tale with a big, burly Scotsman in it? I certainly do. I do not, however, particularly relish tales where my romantic hero goes from something out of a wet dream to something out of a nightmare about middle school. This book would have been so much better if Collin actually had some kind of legitimate issue, not this raving, half-hysterical belief that his wife is a whore based on nothing more than his own insecurities. That made him less in my eyes, and reducing the handsomeWho doesn't love a tale with a big, burly Scotsman in it? I certainly do. I do not, however, particularly relish tales where my romantic hero goes from something out of a wet dream to something out of a nightmare about middle school. This book would have been so much better if Collin actually had some kind of legitimate issue, not this raving, half-hysterical belief that his wife is a whore based on nothing more than his own insecurities. That made him less in my eyes, and reducing the handsome hero is anathema to building a romance reader fan base....more

Most conflicts were based on withholding information, inaccurate assumptions & doing something stupid for the sake of the plot.

STORY BRIEF:Damien arranged for John to see him with his hands under Alex’s skirt. John challenged Damien to a duel and was killed by Damien in the duel. Since dueling was a crime, Damien fled the country. He occasionally wrote to Alex asking for money which she sent. Collin was John’s half-brother. Collin has been searching for Damien to bring him to justice. CollinMost conflicts were based on withholding information, inaccurate assumptions & doing something stupid for the sake of the plot.

STORY BRIEF:Damien arranged for John to see him with his hands under Alex’s skirt. John challenged Damien to a duel and was killed by Damien in the duel. Since dueling was a crime, Damien fled the country. He occasionally wrote to Alex asking for money which she sent. Collin was John’s half-brother. Collin has been searching for Damien to bring him to justice. Collin asks for Alex’s help. She shows him her correspondence from Damien and agrees to keep him informed. She likes Collin and wants an affair with him, but he doesn’t respond and returns to Scotland. Two weeks later, Alex goes to Scotland under the guise of purchasing horses, but her main reason is to tempt him into an affair.

REVIEWER’S OPINION:There were several conflicts between the hero and heroine due to one of them “withholding information” from the other (for no rational reason). Collin was mad at Alex several times due to his “inaccurate assumptions” about her. More than once her response was to withhold information from him and not clear it up. The major climax happens when the “heroine does something stupid for the sake of the plot.” Also, during the major climax, two important scenes were “told and not shown.” I was annoyed with the lack of details.

I cannot enjoy a story so full of the above contrivances. In addition, I had trouble with the characters. I didn’t enjoy reading about them. Alex kissed a variety of men. There was no relationship development with Collin. Apparently she just wanted him for his body. Collin was likeable at first but later became an abusive jerk.

OTHER BOOKS:For a list of my reviews of other books by this author, see my 4 star review of “Lead Me On” posted 3-23-10.

CAUTION SPOILER:A small woman uses a knife to stab and kill a big, strong man. I doubt she could aim through his ribs to get to his heart, so it was probably done through his stomach or neck. I don’t know. It was told (referred to after the fact) not shown, which bothered me....more

The first word that came to mind to describe this book after finishing was "Rawr".

Lady Alexandra was caught with her skirt above her knees, leading to a duel, leading to one man's death. Collin Blackburn (hellooo MacSteamy) happens to be the dead man's half brother, and happens to be on a quest to find the man who murdered him. Who happens to have disappeared.

What I loved most about this story was Lady Alex herself. She is fiery, determined, and stays that way even though she melts when Collin kThe first word that came to mind to describe this book after finishing was "Rawr".

Lady Alexandra was caught with her skirt above her knees, leading to a duel, leading to one man's death. Collin Blackburn (hellooo MacSteamy) happens to be the dead man's half brother, and happens to be on a quest to find the man who murdered him. Who happens to have disappeared.

What I loved most about this story was Lady Alex herself. She is fiery, determined, and stays that way even though she melts when Collin kisses her. She is everything I want a strong heroine to be, and thanks to her earlier "indiscretion" she is anxious to get rid of her "pesky maidenhead".

I won't post any spoilers, but suffice it to say that in comparing Alex to Maggie from Petals in the Storm, I liked Alex's development way more.

The only issue I had was with Collin. There were moments were I was very very afraid he would do violence - and not to save our Heroine either. The main problem was that, although he had been brooding most of the novel, his bursts of anger later in the novel honestly terrified me, which drew me out a little. Until I got angry enough with him that it made sense. But perhaps that was Dahl's intention, because we see some very vulnerable moments when he thinks she's not looking - he is filled with anger, but hates himself for it.

Now for the good stuff - the love scenes were super steamy! Nothing like a Scottish burr and a heroine who knows what she wants and isn't ashamed to go after it to make for some sweet, sweet lovin'.

The rest of Dahl's historicals are definitely going on my list; her contemporaries already are. It was a short, satisfying read that is staying in my collection. *guards it jealously*...more

I'm glad I didn't let the contemporary romance of Dahl's I read recently or lacklustre reviews deter me from reading this book as it was pretty bloody fabulous.

Yes there was conflict and some misunderstandings, but they weren't dragged out for the length of the novel. They were addressed rather sensibly and there was resolution of sorts.

Collin & Alexandra were a fantastic and may I say fascinating couple to read. Alex was sensible and strong without being overbearing. There were ti5 stars.

I'm glad I didn't let the contemporary romance of Dahl's I read recently or lacklustre reviews deter me from reading this book as it was pretty bloody fabulous.

Yes there was conflict and some misunderstandings, but they weren't dragged out for the length of the novel. They were addressed rather sensibly and there was resolution of sorts.

Collin & Alexandra were a fantastic and may I say fascinating couple to read. Alex was sensible and strong without being overbearing. There were times I could have been dismayed by how headstrong she was but it felt like she would redeem herself on the next page.

Collin was amazingly hot and despite his complete lack of trust and neanderthal behaviour (swoon); he was a gorgeous hero whose strength of character wasn't overshadowed by the smallest amount of vulnerability.

Dahl almost made me cry with the effortless perfection of her writing, truly. Give this a go because it was a stunning read....more

I was already a Victoria Dahl fan before reading this. This pushed her up on my list of favorite authors. She has a way of mixing in subtle humor that I love. I mean, honestly, who wouldn't giggle when the heroine, Alex, says, "You-are-far-to-big-and-I-think-you-should-go-home." (in case you're wondering, this was AFTER they'd had sex for the first time at a secluded cottage that she invited him to ;) )

I have to say, Collin made me mad towards the end of the book. Even though Alex was a ruined lI was already a Victoria Dahl fan before reading this. This pushed her up on my list of favorite authors. She has a way of mixing in subtle humor that I love. I mean, honestly, who wouldn't giggle when the heroine, Alex, says, "You-are-far-to-big-and-I-think-you-should-go-home." (in case you're wondering, this was AFTER they'd had sex for the first time at a secluded cottage that she invited him to ;) )

I have to say, Collin made me mad towards the end of the book. Even though Alex was a ruined lady (he knew better) he kept accusing her of cheating on him. I was so proud of Alex when she finally stood up for herself and left him. Collin made up for his being a jerkwad though. I'm not going to tell you how, cause that will ruin the story *heehee*

Naturally, I'm going to read the rest of the series. Hopefully soon :)

As others have said, this book starts off strong then veers off a cliff. The typical 3/4 through discord happens almost halfway through and Collin's jealousy practically ruins the whole experience. And as someone else said, these are the type of men we see killing their wives on the news; not what I was looking for in a romance. And I'm not convinced Collin is redeemed at all.

I have mixed feeling about this story, that for the most part the author resolved, but I have a lingering sense of "I'm not sure I'm completely over it". Now this might not seem congruent with my rating of four stars. But I will attempt to explain myself and hope that what I say doesn't dissuade others from giving this book a try.

I am not really sure a synopsis is necessary as you have no doubt read the publisher's version. Suffice it to say that our hero sets out to right a wrong that the heroI have mixed feeling about this story, that for the most part the author resolved, but I have a lingering sense of "I'm not sure I'm completely over it". Now this might not seem congruent with my rating of four stars. But I will attempt to explain myself and hope that what I say doesn't dissuade others from giving this book a try.

I am not really sure a synopsis is necessary as you have no doubt read the publisher's version. Suffice it to say that our hero sets out to right a wrong that the heroine is seemly responsible for or at the least involved in. The event in question is the "murder" of his half brother in a duel. Murder in this context is not because duels are illegal. The hero has come to believe that the perpetrator lured his brother into it by deliberately seducing the heroine and setting him up as a witness. The resulting duel was in defence of the heroine's honour, as his brother was in love with her.

When they meet, the hero assumes that our heroine deserves the reputation of whore. He seems to ignore the fact that she has retreated from "society" and productively manages the estate of her brother the duke. There is no doubt she is a privileged and somewhat indulged woman, but evidence is immediately presented that she is hard working, capable and kind. In fact it is telling that the hero fails to acknowledge her sterling qualities throughout their relationship.

Without a doubt, the hero truly earns the title of jerk. There is a passage in which he recalls the effect of his behaviour on his new wife as watching the light die out of her. Is it any wonder with behaviour such as ...(view spoiler)[When he takes her virginity in an abrupt and traumatizing way, he accuses HER of lying and calls her a "selfish bitch" (hide spoiler)]? I wasn't certain he could recover from that one...

So, that said, why do I like this book as much as I do? In spite of the fact that I despised his behaviour, I was really captivated by the author's ability to show me the inner workings of a relationship that had a potential to be glorious, but had to be worked for. I loved to hate the hero and admired but sometimes cringed at the heroine. To give Ms. Dahl credit, she never backed away from the heroine's sensual nature. Although this might seem to be anachronistic, I cannot help but think that women didn't just arrive at their sensuality in the 21st century, and this story shows how a deeply sensual one might have been affected in that era.

My attention was captivated. Not in the - Can't. Look. Away. -kind, but out of genuine desire to see these two characters through their tough situation. Sort of like being a vicarious "Bill".

This author doesn't pull punches and deals with quite intense themes and issues so I don't think this would be everyone's cup of tea. the grovel that the hero performs may not satisfy a blood thirsty heart, but it did come through as true.

All in all, I really like this author's take on historicals, and love her unique themes and writing style. An author to watch. ...more

So this is sort of in a series with a couple of other Dahl historicals I have read (can't quite recall the names, as they are always only vaguely related to the actual plots) and apparently I read them out of order, with the 3rd one first, then the 2nd, then this one which is the first. It doesn't really matter, they stand-alone, but they do occur in a chronological order and are about related characters who appear in all three books.

So, in the context of those other 2, I think this was my leastSo this is sort of in a series with a couple of other Dahl historicals I have read (can't quite recall the names, as they are always only vaguely related to the actual plots) and apparently I read them out of order, with the 3rd one first, then the 2nd, then this one which is the first. It doesn't really matter, they stand-alone, but they do occur in a chronological order and are about related characters who appear in all three books.

So, in the context of those other 2, I think this was my least favorite of the three. Dahl seems to always write some psychology into her romance, and she does it well. Her grasp of this leads her to be one of my more favored romance authors at this point. She manages to do it even in her historicals but it does not read quite as plausibly there. She does not manage to intersect the mores of the period society she is setting her stories in, with the conflicts that the characters encounter.

What I mean by this is, her heroines in particular are just completely out of place in Regency England. There are improper, bold, immodest unless it suits their ends... the list goes on. This is explained away because in every case they are ruined by some extenuating circumstances that free them from the truly oppressive societal restrictions that young unmarried ladies really did live with during those times. When I read one of her books, I was willing to buy it and suspend my disbelief... the second was my favorite so I let it slide again... but with this one I am just seeing a pattern. I think I'll stop with her historicals while I am ahead - no doubt after a little to forget my own silly little irks with this, I would enjoy picking one up again.

There is always alot to enjoy. This one is not so different - Alex is a ruined young woman, living outside polite society as the manager of her brother, the Duke's country estate. Collin is a Scottish lord who seeks retribution against her for wronging his brother, ultimately playing a part in his brother's death. But she is really an innocent and of course he falls for her. It was an interesting read because they get married about halfway through and you think... "hmm, what next?"... but then you are treated to all the baggage they have to work through to really have a marriage. I enjoyed that, but it wasn't earth-shaking for me.

I think I prefer Dahl's contemporary romances because the characters, as empowered contemporary people living in a free society, can act outrageously and it's not such a stretch. In these historicals, it seems the plot is constantly relying on some girl to flee out into the dead of winter on her horse or something otherwise just as implausible. ...more

A bit of a hot mess. The book doesn't seem to know what it wants to be, and there is a clear split between the first and second halves. Almost like two books awkwardly stitched together. We have:

Alexandra, younger sister of the wealthy and powerful Duke of Somerhart; caught in a compromising position during her first season, she is considered a "ruined" woman and now spends her time managing her brother's country estate while wearing scandalous boy's clothing. Passionate nature, sexually curiousA bit of a hot mess. The book doesn't seem to know what it wants to be, and there is a clear split between the first and second halves. Almost like two books awkwardly stitched together. We have:

Alexandra, younger sister of the wealthy and powerful Duke of Somerhart; caught in a compromising position during her first season, she is considered a "ruined" woman and now spends her time managing her brother's country estate while wearing scandalous boy's clothing. Passionate nature, sexually curious.

Collin, bastard son of a Scottish lord who eventually acknowledged him and bought him a barony; seeks out the "ruined" Alexandra for information on the man who ruined her and then went on to kill Collin's half-brother. Almost immediately realizes Alex is not a duplicitous whore, just a young woman with a passionate nature and a tendency to act before she thinks.

So these two fall in lust, get it on, and get married all in the first half. Okay, now I'm not sure where the conflict is. Oh! The conflict lies in the fact that Collin is suddenly a ragingly jealous douchebag who believes that since Alex was caught with a bad guy's hand up her skirt, she's probably going to bang everyone in sight, especially because she's an English princess (or so he calls her) and he's a Scottish bastard. This insecurity comes pretty much out of nowhere, and even though it's nice to have an actual conflict, the resolution involves sudden!danger and a whole lot of treacle.

There is a good book in here somewhere. Alex genuinely does not understand how to make a good decision by the end of the book, because everything she does makes her situation worse. She's confused about who to trust and loses faith in her instincts; this doesn't stop her from awesomely threatening to scratch out Collin's eyes when he crosses the line. Dahl is clearly thinking about the double standards (gender and class) in nineteenth century society, and Alex could have been a great character to illustrate these issues. Unfortunately the book is a bit too muddled for that. I still love Victoria Dahl for her contemporaries, and the third book in this historical series is awesome; maybe it just took a while for her to find her historical stride....more

Huh. I have to say I was surprised how much this book failed. It didn't work for me at all. I've read other books by this author and loved her writing style but those were all contemporary romances novels so my hopes aren't high for other books in this series. The reasons I disliked this book also changed several times throughout the book.

First, the beginning of the book had potential. But Alex didn't come off as a likable character. They kept referring to how young she was and she acted it. IHuh. I have to say I was surprised how much this book failed. It didn't work for me at all. I've read other books by this author and loved her writing style but those were all contemporary romances novels so my hopes aren't high for other books in this series. The reasons I disliked this book also changed several times throughout the book.

First, the beginning of the book had potential. But Alex didn't come off as a likable character. They kept referring to how young she was and she acted it. I honestly hoped there would be an incident and then the book would pick up several years later after she had matured a little but couldn't get a certain encounter out of her mind. Alas, that did not happen. So her attempts at seducing him came off as juvenile and a little bit of a spoiled "I get what I want" mentality.

Second, Collin turned crazy for no reason. It was completely out of the blue and didn't make sense to me. I'm fine with an alpha male being an ass on occasion when he has a reason (like previous relationships gone bad or being cheated on) but Collin was an ass to the point where I wanted Alex to get out of that emotionally abusive relationship. Not what I'm looking for in a romance novel.

Last, the ending just didn't work for me. The writing felt rushed and all over the place trying to wrap things up nicely. I didn't trust that Collin miraculously sees the error of his ways and bam, suddenly they have no problems. How the whole scene with Damien (is that even his name? I've forgotten already and I just finished the book. Not a good sign) wrapped up didn't work for me either.

This book didn't work for me. I'll probably read the next one in the series just because my library has the E-book and I don't have anything else to read at the moment. Here's to hoping it's better than this one. ...more

She wasn't trying to be ruined, you understand, but, well, she didn't want the life ahead of her as a socially acceptable debutante. Tea parties, fortune-hunting suitors, and oppressive, unrelenting propriety under the eyes of an army of chaperones and society tabbies. That life was not for her. She regrets that her forays into "fast" territory ended with the death of a young man she considered a friend, but with regard to her own life, she's better ofAlexandra Huntington is ruined.

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She wasn't trying to be ruined, you understand, but, well, she didn't want the life ahead of her as a socially acceptable debutante. Tea parties, fortune-hunting suitors, and oppressive, unrelenting propriety under the eyes of an army of chaperones and society tabbies. That life was not for her. She regrets that her forays into "fast" territory ended with the death of a young man she considered a friend, but with regard to her own life, she's better off this way. Exiled to her brother's country estate, which she ably manages, she no longer has to contend with the coma-inducing tedium.

Unfortunately, reality tracks her down even in her exile.

Collin Blackburn, the half-brother of her dead friend, barges into her life and demands that she provide information that will help him find his brother's killer. Collin hates her—of course he would, given she's the cheatin' ho who broke his brother's heart. Given his brother fought a duel for her that ended in his death. Of course he doesn't know the whole story.

Frankly, both H/h are quite reasonable about all the "issues" that stand between them. It undercuts a lot of the potential tension. Even so, I ended up really liking this couple, and the history that brought them together really did seem like an insurmountable obstacle, no matter how "reasonable" they both might be. So I liked this enough to download more by Dahl, even tho I already had a couple dozen perfectly good books in the queue. Which earns this one a four star. ...more

In the first half, I really disliked the heroine. She was a spoiled princess, who was shockingly selfish... and casually manipulates people into situations just because she wants to have her fun, damn it, and fuck all you people for judging her.

It's all well and good that she wants to have the same rights as a man (that's why, though romanticizing the 19th century is fun in books like this, I'd NEVER choose to live in that time as a woman), buI wanted to like this a lot more than I actually did.

In the first half, I really disliked the heroine. She was a spoiled princess, who was shockingly selfish... and casually manipulates people into situations just because she wants to have her fun, damn it, and fuck all you people for judging her.

It's all well and good that she wants to have the same rights as a man (that's why, though romanticizing the 19th century is fun in books like this, I'd NEVER choose to live in that time as a woman), but firstly that's not the way the world works, and secondly, she doesn't have the right to expect everyone else to happily play her game. For someone who demands the world respect her as she is, she has very little respect for other people.

In the second half, I really disliked the hero. He went from being the guy the heroine had horribly manipulated, to being this truly awful person. He had no right to treat her so shamefully. To me, when (view spoiler)[she finally left him, and her maid TOLD him she left... when his first thought was that she'd run away with his best friend... at that point, he was unforgivable to me. Completely unforgivable. And I don't buy his "I didn't REALLY think you'd do it" heap of bullshit. Yes, he very much did think she'd do it, which is why he was constantly giving her the stink eye when any guy spoke to her. (hide spoiler)]

I guess I just don't buy that he won't slide right back into that mindset in a couple weeks, once the new shine wears off. After all, he only managed to hold on to the initial shine of happiness for like 2 weeks before he decided she was fucking around with his best friend. Jesus.

I have mixed feelings about this book, but mostly I was just irritated. While I tried really hard to like both of the main characters, it just never happened for me. Alexandra at first seemed like a really strong character and stood up for things she wanted. Awesome. And then she became more manipulative, she tricked Colin into an illicit affair without telling him some crucial details about herself and then became upset with him after realized he was a little angry. I did like her more towardsI have mixed feelings about this book, but mostly I was just irritated. While I tried really hard to like both of the main characters, it just never happened for me. Alexandra at first seemed like a really strong character and stood up for things she wanted. Awesome. And then she became more manipulative, she tricked Colin into an illicit affair without telling him some crucial details about herself and then became upset with him after realized he was a little angry. I did like her more towards the end, but I think she forgave Colin a bit too much.

Speaking of Colin, what an idiot! He goes on and on about how Alexandra tricked him, but then he doesn't mind having sex with her again. Then begins to accuse her at every turn of her being a "whore" with other men. He was actually really abusive to her in an emotional way. He would accuse her and then beg for forgiveness... after the first or second time I would have kicked him to the curb and not been sad at all. I just found no redemption in him at all, and that really bothered me. I still don't really understand how the ending was all happy go lucky. He was an idiot and treated Alex really badly. That's not romantic to me, sorry.

Needless to say, not my favorite book from Dahl and I will not be reading the next book in the series....more

I decided to read this book because I'd heard such praise for Victoria Dahl, but was decidely disappointed with the contemporary romance novel of hers that I read. This book drew me in from the start and held my interest. One of those where I was disappointed for it to end. I may not have liked her contemporary, but will definitely read another Victoria Dahl Historical.

A couple of comments: I have no idea whether it is historically accurate, but I loved the scottish burr of the hero and other cI decided to read this book because I'd heard such praise for Victoria Dahl, but was decidely disappointed with the contemporary romance novel of hers that I read. This book drew me in from the start and held my interest. One of those where I was disappointed for it to end. I may not have liked her contemporary, but will definitely read another Victoria Dahl Historical.

A couple of comments: I have no idea whether it is historically accurate, but I loved the scottish burr of the hero and other characters.

This is not your Mary Balogh's Regency. It gets hot and heavy early and often. Ms. Dahl excels at these types of scenes though I was almost getting tired of it and wishing for more "story." As the book went on, I was happier with the balance between boudoir and story.

Even though the heroine was the sister of a Duke, very little time was spent at London or focusing on the doings of the "ton." There was still a class backdrop to the story, but I did not want to beat my Nook the way I do with some Regencies.

I liked the dialogue and writing style better than in Ms. Dahl's contemporary novels as well.

** Spoiler** I appreciate that the hero recognized he needed to change, but dang it took awhile. I'm surprised the heroine took as lng as she did to leave him. ...more

I loved this book! The characters were strong and the chemistry was fantastic. I did have to suspend a bit of disbelief at how independent Alex was but Ms. Dahl does a good job of explaining her unusual personality for this time period. I thought the romance between Alex and Colin flowed very well and developed naturally and believably. I thought that the stormy nature of their relationship was realistic and fit the quick nature of their marriage. Colin fit the jealous, uncommunicative male sterI loved this book! The characters were strong and the chemistry was fantastic. I did have to suspend a bit of disbelief at how independent Alex was but Ms. Dahl does a good job of explaining her unusual personality for this time period. I thought the romance between Alex and Colin flowed very well and developed naturally and believably. I thought that the stormy nature of their relationship was realistic and fit the quick nature of their marriage. Colin fit the jealous, uncommunicative male stereotype to a T, and Alex did her best to conform to the "change to get him to love me" trope as well. I was worried there for a bit that Alex would completely change and be miserable for Colin but in the end, she rallied and got back her original spark. I did think the villian looming in the background was a bit forced but over all didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of this romance. Really liked this book, a lot more than I originally thought I would and definitely am moving on to the next in Ms. Dahl's work.

Read on my Kindle. Light formatting errors (extra character and line spaces) no outstanding editing errors....more

This book came in a bundle with Dahl's latest historical novel, A LITTLE BIT WILD, and after I read it, I knew why. Both heroines are out of the ordinary in their historical era, both of them embroiled in scandal.

In TO TEMPT A SCOTSMAN, the heroine is the sister of a duke who's retreated to her brother's estate after a nasty scandal. A young man was killed defending her honor, after walking in on her with another man. While she's hiding, the brother of the murdered man (the villain orchestratedThis book came in a bundle with Dahl's latest historical novel, A LITTLE BIT WILD, and after I read it, I knew why. Both heroines are out of the ordinary in their historical era, both of them embroiled in scandal.

In TO TEMPT A SCOTSMAN, the heroine is the sister of a duke who's retreated to her brother's estate after a nasty scandal. A young man was killed defending her honor, after walking in on her with another man. While she's hiding, the brother of the murdered man (the villain orchestrated the incident) comes to ask the whereabouts of her lover, and discovers someone very different from what he expected. For one thing, she's very young--only 18 or 19. And very tempting. She's attracted to him too, and figures that since she's already "ruined," she's free to take a lover. She has no intention of getting married--but things don't go exactly as she planned. I enjoyed this story, though I did want to smack them both a time or two for being idiots. Which of course is the sign of a good story. :)...more

If you're expecting a traditional romance, you'll be very disappointed. Alexandra may be young, but she knows she wants more than stifling society. She wants to explore life. Unfortunately, she explores her budding sexuality with the wrong man and the ensuing scandal leaves her in her brother's home with no prospects. She's okay with that until Collin Blackburn shows up looking for the man who killed his brother over a duel over her. It doesn't take Collin long to figure out Alex isn't the harloIf you're expecting a traditional romance, you'll be very disappointed. Alexandra may be young, but she knows she wants more than stifling society. She wants to explore life. Unfortunately, she explores her budding sexuality with the wrong man and the ensuing scandal leaves her in her brother's home with no prospects. She's okay with that until Collin Blackburn shows up looking for the man who killed his brother over a duel over her. It doesn't take Collin long to figure out Alex isn't the harlot he expected but he hates himself for wanting her. Alex has never been attracted to any man like Collin and since she's already ruined, why not act the part. It was not what either expected. The story had a more modern feel to it, with Alex being unexpectedly in touch with her sexuality and not ashamed of it. But that made it refreshing. The characters were likable and the misunderstandings mostly acceptable. I want to read the sequel. A fun and light romp....more

What I liked right off about this romance is the unusual, negatively tense relationship between the hero and heroine. In fact, their initial relationship borders not only on dislike, but loathing. Of course, the physical attraction or notice is there, but it plays a very small role in the beginning because it is so overshadowed by the animosity of both characters. Although the heroine is not someone to be liked or esteemed in the beginning, the reader finds themselves as misled as the hero in thWhat I liked right off about this romance is the unusual, negatively tense relationship between the hero and heroine. In fact, their initial relationship borders not only on dislike, but loathing. Of course, the physical attraction or notice is there, but it plays a very small role in the beginning because it is so overshadowed by the animosity of both characters. Although the heroine is not someone to be liked or esteemed in the beginning, the reader finds themselves as misled as the hero in that regard. Soon, the heroine is most pitied and deserving of real empathy. The hero comes full circle as well, but his emotions are a little too stilted at times. The one weakness of the story for me is that the heroine outshines her hero and could have been matched better. However, still I did like the tragic twists and turns for a story with still a HEA. Certainly, a 3.5-star book. ...more

I really enjoyed this. The heroine is fantastic! Independent, feisty, motivated and willing to take her future into her own hands. The hero is a dour, jealous idiot, really lacking in self-esteem, but fundamentally decent and just terrified of happiness. Some reviewers have commented on the undercurrent of violence, and it is there, but, for me, only served to emphasize the angst of the hero. It's a great story which flows beautifully with excellent secondary characters, which play vital parts iI really enjoyed this. The heroine is fantastic! Independent, feisty, motivated and willing to take her future into her own hands. The hero is a dour, jealous idiot, really lacking in self-esteem, but fundamentally decent and just terrified of happiness. Some reviewers have commented on the undercurrent of violence, and it is there, but, for me, only served to emphasize the angst of the hero. It's a great story which flows beautifully with excellent secondary characters, which play vital parts in the plot without distracting from the story. Unlike some series books, it didn't feel like the author worked to introduce the characters from future books: they just fitted in in their own right. I can't believe this is a debut! 4.5 stars ...more

I really enjoyed this book! It made me laugh, and cry, and even attack my computer in frustration. It also made me think. I have always been nervous about marriage, and though it is still far off for me I worry about it. Sure, I'll most likely be in love but what if that isn't enough? What if we start to hate and resent each other? Parts of this book really fueled that fear. I almost stopped reading because I was so scared of my reaction, but I kept going. Thank, God. The ending really did reassI really enjoyed this book! It made me laugh, and cry, and even attack my computer in frustration. It also made me think. I have always been nervous about marriage, and though it is still far off for me I worry about it. Sure, I'll most likely be in love but what if that isn't enough? What if we start to hate and resent each other? Parts of this book really fueled that fear. I almost stopped reading because I was so scared of my reaction, but I kept going. Thank, God. The ending really did reassure me that if it is meant to be than things will work out. Sometimes it's misunderstanding and sometimes its simply not agree with you partner but marriage will be hard, the thing to remember is that we work on it. Give and Take. ...more

Victoria Dahl has long been one of my favorite romance authors since she wowed me with her Tumble Creek series. From that moment on I have been trying to get my hands on every books that Ms. Dahl has written and Paperbackswap has been a huge friend in this. I got this book and read it almost immediately.

I love Ms. Dahl but this book didn't feel like her, I am assuming it is only because she was still maturing as a writer and this book is historical romance as all the other books I have read by hVictoria Dahl has long been one of my favorite romance authors since she wowed me with her Tumble Creek series. From that moment on I have been trying to get my hands on every books that Ms. Dahl has written and Paperbackswap has been a huge friend in this. I got this book and read it almost immediately.

I love Ms. Dahl but this book didn't feel like her, I am assuming it is only because she was still maturing as a writer and this book is historical romance as all the other books I have read by her have been contemporary. I also found myself out of place with the heroine. I have read many books with a wild "ruined" heroine but Alex seemed a bit more wild that may be normal for her time period. Overall, a great story just those few things bugged me....more

Victoria Dahl has written a historical romance that is fun and entertaining. There is blackmail, a fumbled attempt of seduction, and an unexpected twist all of which make the story enjoyable. Alexandra's naivety and independent nature made for a fun character. There is a small amount of explicit sex, after all it is a romance novel. Some of it is sensual, like Collin giving Alexandra a bath. Who wouldn't enjoy a bath by a handsome man? There are several subplots that are constantly getting in thVictoria Dahl has written a historical romance that is fun and entertaining. There is blackmail, a fumbled attempt of seduction, and an unexpected twist all of which make the story enjoyable. Alexandra's naivety and independent nature made for a fun character. There is a small amount of explicit sex, after all it is a romance novel. Some of it is sensual, like Collin giving Alexandra a bath. Who wouldn't enjoy a bath by a handsome man? There are several subplots that are constantly getting in the way of their relationship. Old flames, household staff, relatives, and neighbors. The author has made each character interesting and realistic. You will love them and dislike them....more

After 3 chapters, the unclear and muddy dialogue, passive descriptions, and snail's story pace wore me down and I put the book aside.

The characters are painted in broad strokes, which makes it difficult to envision them. Alex's past scandal is mentioned, but never truly given an intriguing hook to keep a reader interested.

Also, a point of contention regarding accents: It is clearly stated that Collin is Scottish and living in Scotland, however, his accent is only displayed through 2 words: "aye"After 3 chapters, the unclear and muddy dialogue, passive descriptions, and snail's story pace wore me down and I put the book aside.

The characters are painted in broad strokes, which makes it difficult to envision them. Alex's past scandal is mentioned, but never truly given an intriguing hook to keep a reader interested.

Also, a point of contention regarding accents: It is clearly stated that Collin is Scottish and living in Scotland, however, his accent is only displayed through 2 words: "aye" and "dinna". I'm one for avoiding a heavy-hand with accented dialogue, but this was way too Scots-light. My guess is that he's a cliched Scotsman whose accent worsens with his temper....more

This started out good enough. I was enjoying it and then half way thru we take a long jump off a short peer. What happened?? I really liked Collin the first half of the book, then he decided to go all crazy jealous and I lost respect for him. Granted he did apologize but I just couldn't understand why he went that route in the first place. He just continued to do the same thing over and over. huh? Yes they end up with their hea, but it just didn't feel the same anymore. Not bad, but not great eiThis started out good enough. I was enjoying it and then half way thru we take a long jump off a short peer. What happened?? I really liked Collin the first half of the book, then he decided to go all crazy jealous and I lost respect for him. Granted he did apologize but I just couldn't understand why he went that route in the first place. He just continued to do the same thing over and over. huh? Yes they end up with their hea, but it just didn't feel the same anymore. Not bad, but not great either. Oh well....more

I have my mother to thank for my passion for writing. My mom is an avid reader of popular fiction, and I began reading highly inappropriate books around the age of eleven, I think. (Thanks, Mom, for always leaving those delicious books strewn about!)

To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which wI have my mother to thank for my passion for writing. My mom is an avid reader of popular fiction, and I began reading highly inappropriate books around the age of eleven, I think. (Thanks, Mom, for always leaving those delicious books strewn about!)

To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which was excerpted at the back of Scotsman) is my second.

Due to my all-around goofiness, my agent suggested I also try my hand at a contemporary romantic comedy. Boy, is my agent smart! I had a great time writing Talk Me Down, the story of a young woman who goes back to her small hometown in Colorado and causes a huge stir with her secretive career and her burgeoning relationship with the chief of police. Not only did I have a great time writing it, but Tara Parsons at HQN liked it too! So if you like cold weather, hot sex and dirty jokes, be sure to check out Talk Me Down (out in January 2009).

Speaking of cold weather, my family and I live in a beautiful ski town in Utah. No, I don't ski. I prefer to sit inside with a hot toddy and a good book while the snow falls. It's especially beautiful to watch when from the inside!

I have a wonderful husband and children, and the house is kind of crowded, what with the dukes, Scotsmen, police chiefs, and naughty ladies running around, but my family is very understanding about my imaginary friends. Good thing, since they refuse to leave!...more